Arizona weekly citizen., 1887-12-31
A TERRIBLE ORDEAL.

When the Peninsular war was at it's height, Gen. &urat, who was in command of the French troops at Madrid, desired to send a dispatch of the grayest importance to Gen. Junot at Lisbon. The distance was not great, but the country through which the messenger would be obliged to travel was infested by a band of guer- ril.as who carried on aA irregular war fare on their own account, much to the an- nOyance and detriment of the French army. Thcse lawless volunteers fought from their ambuscades in the forests and mountain passes with unparalleled ferocity, frequently surprising detachments of the regular army and capturing their stores and ammunition. The heroic deeds of Gen. Castanos, the guer- rilla commander in chief, were echoed throughout Europe, and 1t was well known that he gave no quarter to French prisoners Therefore Gen. Murat could find no soldier desirous of undertaking an errand so frausht with danger.
 In his dilemma ho sought the advice of Baron Strogauoff. tho Russian ambassador, who was friendly tO the French cause.
 The baron, being well aware of the gravity of the situation, dcliberated for several min NAl- AfrAAAA VI AN tue A04ilN ~Seud one 0f your most reliable Polish lancers in Russian uniform, he said, with a verbal message Co our admiral. now in Lisbon har- bor He, in turn, will communicate with Jun0t without arousing the slightest suspicion on the part of the English. No doubt your courier will be arrested a score of times en route; but my country has maintained neutral ground thus far, it is not probable that the result will be fatal Castanos Is too much of a diplomat to risk the displeasure of Russia, and, by observing the proper eau tion, it will not be difficult to deceive him.
 Gen. Iurat was charmed with this cle-er proposition, and at once ordered the captain Of the Warsaw lancers Co select from his company a brave, reliable fellow who could oe trusted to undertake the important mis- sion.
 Early on the following day, Lieut. Lacllin- sky, a young Pole, IS years of age, sought audience of the French general, who ex- plained the nature of the service he required Of the youth, without cOncealing the perils it would entail lackinskv, nothing daunted, declared with a cOutemptuOus smile that he eagerly awaited an opportunity tO prove how little hs feared the guerrillas, and that he was prepared tO set out at once on his jour- ney.
 Pleased with the young Poles enthusiasm, we'll with his evident desire to distin- guish himself, the general repeated with pre- cision the message Go be carried tO Junot.
 Baron StroganoiTs Russian dispatches having been duly secured, the courier started for the coast, completely armed, and dis guised in the uniform of an officer of the ears guard
 Nothing Of importance occurred until the afternoon of the second day, wheIf our hero entered a defile in the mountains near Tala- vera He had not advanced more than a quarter of 8 mile when be was met by half a dozen guerrillas, who, without waiting to barley, roughly dragged him from his horse, seized his weapons, and led him to a chapel in a cave hard by, where he found himself face to face with the terrible CastanOs.
 ~Who are your asked the guerrilla chief, in French, while be angrily scrutinized the prisoner.
 Alive to the danger of his position Lackin- sky's heart failed him for an instant, but, quickly recovering his presence of mind, he fixed his eyes on his interlOcutors face with meaningless stare. Presently he answered in German: T do not understand"
 Castanos called one of his officers, and re- quested him to continue the examination in the prisoners tongue Observing the utmost caution lest by an inadvertent expression be might betray his knowledge of French, the Pole replied to all the officers questions in Russian or German.
 During the examination the chapel had be- come crowded with guerrillas, attracted there by curiosity and desire for excitement. Each hung upon the prisoners words, eager to detect the slightest evidence of deception on his part
 Suddenly there was an interruption. caused by the appearance of Castanos, leading by the arm a peasant, whom he placed before the Pole, saying:
 Look carefully at this man and tell us whether he be Russian. German or, as I strongly suspect, a cursed French spy"
 The peasant obeyed, and presently replied, in a loud, deciied tone:
 "He Is a disguised Frenchman A few weeks ago, when l took a load of hay to Madrid, this was the very officer who signed my receipt
 Lackinsky betrayed no sign of fear and the expression of his countenance did not vary as he looked from one to tue other of the excited soldiers who surrounded him. They would have torn him to pieces had not their general, discouraged by the failure of his test, interfered
 My friends, be loudly exclaimed, snoth- ins Is yet proved against our prisoner, and he has certainly proved beyond doubt that he does not understand French. This peasant might easily make a mistake, for it would be difficult to recognize a man whom be saw only once, and then in different uniform from the one he now wears. The prisoner looks like a Russian, his papers are addressed to the ears admiral, and think we had bet ter allow him to proceed.n
 "No, no,' was the cry that arose from a hundred voices at once; @we are not yet sat isfied and he shall not go until we are"
 But are we to take the risk of offending |